Follow-ups
After the release of The Care Bears Movie, DIC Entertainment produced a syndicated 11-episode television series featuring the title characters. Another series, Nelvana's The Care Bears Family, premiered on ABC in the U.S. and Canada's Global in September 1986, and was subsequently broadcast in 140 countries. Nelvana followed the first film with another two theatrical instalments, Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation (1986) and The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (1987); neither made as much of a critical or commercial impact. A New Generation, released by Columbia Pictures, made over US$8.5 million in North America and US$12 million worldwide. Adventure in Wonderland was self-financed by Nelvana and released by Cineplex Odeon Films, and grossed US$2.608 million domestically; with worldwide earnings of US$6 million, it barely recovered its costs. Because of this, Michael Hirsh later declared, "It was just one sequel too many." The Bears returned for one more animated production, Care Bears Nutcracker Suite, which debuted on video and television in December 1988. The franchise's next feature film, 2004's Journey to Joke-a-lot, also premiered on video (via Lionsgate and Family Home Entertainment).
Read more about this topic: The Care Bears Movie